Apart No Longer
by A Winter Melody
Summary: ON HIATUS The Shikon is complete and the wish has been made. Kagome and the gang have a lot to overcome before life can become truly well. Can Sesshomaru help Kagome adjust to her new life or will uncertainty and hurt get in the way of what could be?
1. Discoveries

**AN:** Hello! I'm new at writing Fan Fiction, so be gentle with me please. Flames will be deleted, because I don't have time to deal with people who can't take the time to phrase things nicely or give constructive criticism. If you get confused or just want to discuss the story, then I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have or talk with you. If you need to know what some of the Japanese words I will be using mean, then just send me a message or ask in a review. I also have no real idea where I'm going to take this so hang in there. Any other ANs will be at the end of chapters to come. I do hope that you like it, and now here is the first chapter of Apart No Longer.

_'Lalala'_- thoughts

"Ladida"- talking

_**Tralala**_- Kagome's inner beast's voice

**Dadadadum**- Sesshomaru's inner beast's voice

**DISCLAIMER:** InuYasha and Co. do not belong to me. They do, however, belong to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi.

**AN:** This has been edited slightly. Mostly just general clean up because I saw some things that bothered me. Nothing major has changed.

Chapter 1: Discoveries

Footfalls on the path. Harsh breathing. The lightning from the storm lit the forest path in front of her as she ran. She was being chased— no, hunted, and she could hear the heavy tread of their steps as they ran after her. As injured as she was, her training was useless; it was hard enough just to keep running.

_'Come on! Don't think about the pain. Just keep running, Kagome, and don't stop— They're still following! Why won't they turn back already?'_ During her inner monologue she didn't notice that she had effectively trapped herself between a rock and a hard place…literally. She quickly took in her surroundings and realized that she could not get away. She was backed up against a cliff face that wrapped around on both sides of her. The height of it wasn't anything extraordinary, but with the wounds inflicted upon her by a narrowly escaped night-gone-bad with a group of other youkai, she still wouldn't be able to make it up the cliff.

After she made a quick survey of her situation, she knew that she had about a snowflake's chance in hell of beating the group of bandits that were after her. As that thought surfaced in her mind, a scalding hot tear rolled down the side of her face resulting in a stinging sensation that she barely realized, as the salty water touched a shallow scratch. She quickly brushed it away, paying no mind to the blood that lingered on her hand, as she steeled her nerves._ 'So this is where it all ends,'_ she thought.

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the dense forest that sat atop the cliff was a youkai in the midst of a hunt. His bright amber eyes glinted in the light provided by the changing colors of the lightning from the storm. As he took a breath, an irresistible scent tickled his senses. It was an unmistakable scent; one he'd not smelled in years, but it was also different. Something had changed, something that had been sheer speculation from he and the others. Instead of what should have been the scent of a human, he was picking up on the fragrance of another youkai.<p>

It bothered the mysterious youkai that such a familiar smell could make its way to him, and in the violent spring storm, no less. Though he had a rather large amount of pride in his abilities, he knew it should not be possible for him to be picking up a scent trail this strong from where he was. It meant that other forces were making it stronger— the Kami had a hand in all of this, and for some reason they sought to involve him. Even though he may not bend to the will of those below him, even this powerful youkai knew better than to go against the Kami.

He took a moment to catch the scent and determine where it was coming from, and then he set off to confront the female whose scent was so similar to the human female he once knew. As he drew closer to the edge of the cliff, he heard the sounds of heavy footsteps and loud cursing. As he released a bit of his youki he felt something strange. It was no ordinary youkai that he had been tasked to rescue…she was a kitsune-miko; something rare and only ever heard of in recently made up stories that many parents tell their children. He then knew that the rumors were true, and his and his half-brother's suspicions were correct. Instead of dwelling on that line of thought, however, he expanded his senses to pinpoint her location. When he felt her, he could tell by her aura that she her reiki and youki were balanced, but they were muted…like she had used too much. And now, she was only a moment away from being attacked.

He knew she wouldn't last long, not with the way her aura felt and certainly not with those the bandits approaching. He now knew what the Kami wanted him to do, and that was to save the mysterious miko-demoness. He shot down to the bottom of the cliff in his energy form and landed in front of the woman. He sensed her stiffen and smelled shock and exhaustion rolling off of her in waves, but did not turn around because just as he landed the bandits broke into the clearing.

For the first time that night, the demon was appreciative of the storm, for it helped tone down the overwhelming stench of the men. Even in the pouring rain he could still smell the repugnant odor of poorly-made sake and sweat that seemed to hover around the males. There were eight of them, and had they not been severely intoxicated they would've fled the scene at the sight of the imposing male.

He did not waste time toying with them, for the effort would've been pointless, and he could tell that the woman behind him was weakening. So with a swift flick of his wrist a glowing, green, poisonous whip ended the lives of the eight men who stood there. As the bodies fell to the cold, wet ground, the tall and slender man turned around to take his first look at the woman whose scent so closely resembled that which haunted his dreams. As he looked at her, his tawny eyes widened in shock. It was her.

* * *

><p>Mere minutes before the man had appeared in the clearing, Kagome had stabilized only the worst of her numerous injuries. She knew that if she were to try to heal herself entirely, she would use up too much of her life energy and she wouldn't be able to control her beast. The rest of her concentration went towards keeping her inner youkai under control. The pain radiating from the rest of her wounds felt like nothing she'd ever known. It was all she could do to not give in to the cool darkness of unconsciousness, and just let her beast out to roam, but she couldn't do that…she couldn't handle it if the deaths of the innocent people from the surrounding villages were killed by her if she went into a blood-rage. Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, her inner youkai decided to make her demands.<p>

_**Let me out!**_

_'No!'_

_**We will die if you don't!**_

_'Then so be it, but I will not allow you to harm innocents! The blood-rage is too near the surface to let you roam free!'_

_**:snarls: Let. ME. OUT!**_

_'No, dammit! I'm not going to lose control! I'm not going to place innocents in danger just for self-preservation.'_

_**Those human males that are chasing after us aren't innocent!**_

_'But the villages around here are! Now shut up already! I'm not letting you gain control!'_

The silence that followed told her that her beast was now under control once more, but that peace was to be short-lived.

As soon as she regained focus, she caught a scent that had caused her to lose many a night's sleep as well as spurred her on to become stronger. In a startling flash of light, a beautiful yet intimidating man stood in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat when the lightning struck again, momentarily illuminating the glinting sheen of the man's long, silky hair.

In a movement that she barely registered, the heads of the bandits were on the ground next to the sprawled out bodies. A few years ago, that sight would've made her ill, but that all changed during the years following her first descent through the Bone Eater's Well on her fifteenth birthday. Now as she saw the action that ended the threat against her person, all she could feel was relief.

Kagome looked up and saw her savior turn around. When she saw his face through the pouring rain she froze in shock. She hadn't been imagining the marvelous scent of fresh cut pine and sandalwood on a snowy night…the scent of the man who managed to capture her heart. The scent of… "Sesshoumaru," she whispered, breathless, as she finally gave into the peaceful coolness of unconsciousness, knowing full well that she was safe, wrapped in the scent she had longed to breath in for seven long years.

* * *

><p>"Sesshoumaru," he heard the whisper clear as day. He was finally getting to hear her musical voice again. <em>'What happened to her?'<em> Sesshoumaru wondered as he saw Kagome for the first time since the day she wished on the jewel. As he started to remember the day, his musings were cut short when the mortally injured young woman blacked out. He rushed over and caught her just before she would've hit the ground. When he gently lifted her into his arms, his nose was assaulted by the aroma of her blood; it worried him. She was losing far too much. He looked down at the unconscious beauty in his arms and nearly gasped at the sight.

She looked like a tattered doll. Her left arm was bent at an odd angle, as she kept it held close to her chest. She had multiple cuts and bruises upon her creamy skin. Blood matted her hair into dark clumps, and it seemed to have drenched her in a coating of red. Not all of the blood was hers, he knew. The scents she carried on her from some of the blood belonged to four others, all of them male, judging by how musky the scent of the blood was.

Upon closer inspection of her body, he saw that there was a jagged, round-ish scar on her abdomen, only visible because her kimono was torn. She also had a fairly deep cut on her collarbone and three deep gouges on her face, tearing through the Shikon and Fox-Fire colored stripes on her right cheek. Most of her cuts were still leaking blood, so he rapidly flashed to the castle in his energy form.

He landed right in front of the Castle Gates and two of his guards that were on duty promptly opened them for the majestic Lord who carried the strange woman. They bowed as he walked past them without a word, and even though they were curious as only Inus can be, they said nothing. Sesshoumaru went straight to the Infirmary and summoned forth his top Healer, an Inu-Demoness by the name of Umeko. When she rushed into the room, she saw the precious cargo that he carried, and she could see the tenderness with which he held the young woman, and instantly knew this was the one. This was Sesshoumaru's mate-to-be. Even though neither of them knew that they were destined to be together Umeko did.

She was not only the top Healer but she was also Sesshomaru's nurse-maid when he was growing up.

She was like a second mother to him, seeing as his own mother was cold and unfeeling towards him when he was younger. She knew the boy better then she knew herself, and it was this insight that helped her understand the man's tendencies now. She loved him like a son, and would do everything in her power to make sure he was taken care of. That included making sure that the woman in his arms survived what she knew would be a long, hard battle to recovery. Though whether that recovery was physical or emotional, would be left for time to tell.

"Milord, if ye would lay the young lady upon the cot, I could begin to assess her injuries." Umeko said as she had one of her assistants gather plenty of bandages, a bowl of hot water, and some herbs for a poultice. After Sesshoumaru had lain her down on the cot, Umeko sent him out of the room, explaining that she had to undress and cleanse the woman, so that she could see all of the wounds that were inflicted upon her. When her assistant, a younger Inu-Youkai by the name of Ami, returned she brought with her the bandages, herbs, a soft cloth to wash Kagome with, a large basin of hot water, and a clean clothes for the young maiden, consisting of a yukata, nagajuban, and a pair of tabi.

Umeko set Ami to work on mixing herbs into the water while she tended to removing the young woman's tattered clothing. After Umeko had removed all of Kagome's clothes, she proceeded to take the finished liquid mixture from Ami, told her to crush some more herbs for a poultice. She then began tenderly wiping off the unconscious woman's body. Along the way, she discovered all of the injuries that the woman had suffered through, and so far, had survived through. There were bruises on her right leg, like something had wrapped around it and squeezed too tightly. Her stomach had a circular scar that only showed on the front, which was good, because it meant that whatever had harmed her didn't make it all the way through. On her chest, she discovered bruising on her right side, marking a broken rib. Her collarbone had a deep gash, as did her arms. Her right arm also housed a fractured bone.

She rinsed out the cloth for probably the twentieth time that night, and started gently cleaning the blood from her face. As she did she cleaned out the three harsh cuts on her cheek, she noticed for the first time that the markings on her face were the exact same as what were said to be on the fabled Kitsune-Miko who supposedly roamed the lands. Rumor had it that she had two markings on each cheek. The one directly under her eyes was to be the color of the Shikon Jewel, a pretty purplish-pink, and another under it was the bright blue color of Fox-Fire. Also, the Maiden was rumored to have strangely colored hair. Instead of the usual soft black that others had, hers was said to be mainly a dark, inky black, that shone dark blue in the blazing sun, with roots the luminescent color of the Shikon and streaked through with bright blue like the flames she could summon at will.

At the moment, you couldn't see anything but the deep blackness of the young woman's hair, matted and discolored with blood. Umeko called Ami over to prop the lady's head as she washed out the blood and checked for injuries. As the blood was washed out, the first thing that was noticed was that she did indeed carry all of the traits of the fabled Kitsune-Miko Maiden. After an extensive check through the woman's thick, soft hair, they found no injuries, and safely assumed that she had managed to heal the worst of them before losing consciousness. They then proceeded to set the broken bones, and spread the poultice on all of her cuts and bruises. After bandaging and dressing her, they covered her with a blanket cleaned up the resulting mess.

* * *

><p>Once Umeko exited the infirmary that now housed the young lady who seemed to have captured the great Youkai's attention, she noticed that he had posted two of his best guards outside the woman's room. She hastily walked towards his office, and just as she reached to knock on the door she heard his voice call out "Enter." She opened the door and walked in, bowing to him quickly, before giving her report.<p>

"She is doing fine, Milord. The young woman had succeeded in healing her worst injuries, and now that she is resting the others will heal much faster. The only thing that concerns me is that we do not know how she obtained those injuries…" Umeko let her sentence drop there.

"You will alert me as soon as she wakes. I assume you already know that she is the Maiden that has been talked about for the past seven years?" He asked her.

"Hai, Milord. She shows all the signs, including the rapid rate of her healing. Am I correct in thinking that you wish for no one but us to know until she awakes?"

"That is correct. Do not forget to inform me the instant she wakes up."

"Hai, Milord. I will send Ami to you the very moment she opens her eyes."

"That is all, Umeko."

Umeko bowed to him before exiting the office and walking back to the infirmary to watch over her patient. As soon as she left, Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and with one final thought, left to his chambers. 'I cannot lose her again…these emotions are harder to contain, but this enigma is worth every second.'

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~End of Chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed! R&R~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~


	2. Explanations: Part 1

Warning: A small amount of coarse language is in this chapter.

**DISCLAIMER:** InuYasha and Co. do not belong to me. They do, however, belong to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi.

**AN:** Minor edits!

Chapter 2: Explanations- Part 1

When Kagome woke up the first thing she saw was a beautiful mural of an Inu Clan. The pictures depicted pups frolicking around in a brightly flowered field with the adults gathered around the edges of the large meadow, seemingly to keep the pups from wandering away. The swirls of color brought tears to Kagome's eyes as she could tell that whoever painted the magnificent piece of artwork truly put his soul into the creation. She hissed in discomfort as she tried to sit up; her muscles felt so weak. then she remembered everything that happened. Before she could make another move a woman with long, wheat-colored hair, sun-kissed skin and a single sage-green stripe upon each cheek entered the room and helped her into a sitting position.

"Thank you," said Kagome, feeling a little awkward as she still didn't know what had happened past when she blacked out. She assumed that she was in Sesshoumaru's Palace, and that a healer had come and cleaned her up and bandaged her wounds. Her assumptions were proven correct when the older woman spoke up from her position next to the confused maiden.

"You're most welcome, Child. I am Umeko, the Head Healer in the Palace of The Moon. Me and my aide, Ami, cleaned you up and dressed you and your wounds." As soon as Ami's name was spoken, said demoness walked into the room. She was a few inches shorter than Kagome, who was 5"6'. She had dark brown hair, light brown skin, and two scarlet stripes on each cheek.

"Umeko-san, would you like for me to alert Lord Sesshoumaru that the Lady has awakened?" Ami asked, with a soft voice.

"Hai, Ami-chan. That would be appreciated," Umeko responded in an equally soft voice, but it seemed almost ancient in the same way that Kaede's had seemed when she talked.

Kagome watched the interaction between the two women with interest. The way they acted around each other reminded her of her and Kaede's relationship. Oh, how she missed the others. She hadn't seen them in years.

However, before her musings could go too far, a familiar presence touched the edge of her aura and a scent she didn't even know she had been longing for brushed her senses. Sesshoumaru was outside her room. He walked through the door just as she turned to look at it. His appearance hadn't changed a bit since the last time she had seen him and that brought great pleasure to her, though she wouldn't say it out loud. Instead of ruining the moment she just looked at the beautiful man in front of her and waited for him to start asking the questions that she knew he had.

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru was in his office working when someone knocked at his door. The scent that the person carried told him that it was Ami.<p>

"Enter," he called out.

Ami slid open the shoji and walked in. She bowed to him before stating her cause for her appearance.

"Milord, the Lady has awakened. " Ami said to him. After the last word was spoken he stood up from where he was sitting behind his desk.

"That is all, Ami. You can go to the kitchens and have the cooks prepare something for her to eat."

"Hai, Milord." Said the young demoness as she bowed and exited the office and made her way to the kitchens.

After she had gone, he stood there and tried to gather his thoughts. He thought back to the quickly written letter that he had sent to the Inu-Tachi five days ago.

-FLASHBACK-

_Sesshoumaru sat at his desk the day after he had found Kagome in the woods. He knew that her friends would want to know about her, so he decided to write a letter telling them about the news. He grabbed the quill from the stand, dipped it in the inkwell and proceeded to write the letter._

Inuyasha,

She's been found.

The rumors were correct; The Kitsune-Miko is none other than the woman that was thought to be lost to us. She is recovering from an attack on her person and the injuries were extensive. I have been told by the Head Healer that she will make a full recovery. It is expected that by the time you arrive (for this Sesshoumaru is under no illusions that you will stay where you are) that her injuries will be healed up. However, her emotional state has yet to be evaluated.

Your rooms have been prepared, and this Sesshoumaru will allow your arrival to be a surprise for her.

Also, the kit has yet to be seen. Keep an eye out for him, for her peace of mind. It is sure that she will be upset if she knows he is missing.

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West.

_He knew that it would only take about 4-5 days for them to get here if they traveled at a high speed; and knowing them, they would._

-FLASHBACK ENDS-

He didn't realize that he was still holding his quill-pen until he felt the sensation of the feather brushing his hand as it fell to the ground when he dropped it. He gracefully retrieved the pen and placed it upon his desk, straightened out his papers, and walked out the door. On the way to the infirmary he allowed his thoughts to wander to the young woman who had captivated his attention.

'How is it she is now a Youkai? I know InuYasha knows nothing of how these developments came to pass…she ran of the night that Naraku was defeated…after the wish on the jewel. I wonder if they are connected…and what happened to the kit? Did he not run off with her that night? How did she get all of those injuries?' Once that thought crossed his mind he noticed that he had made it to the door. He took a subtle breath to clear his mind, and breathe in her scent, and then he stepped into the room.

Neither of them spoke, and the for once the silence bothered him. He wanted this woman to talk to him. He stared at her for a moment, noting how she looked calm and ready. Like she knew he had questions for her, then again it wasn't really hard to tell. He had found her bloody and about to be killed mere miles from his Palace. Of course he'd have questions.

"Onna, why are you here?" He asked her in a cool tone.

"Why, Sesshoumaru-sama, I'd think you would know the answer to that, seeing as how you brought me here," she playfully replied. After all, she is a Kitsune. Mischievousness runs in her blood…at least, now it does.

"Miko, don't make this Sesshoumaru repeat himself. You know full well what was meant by the question."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama…Some things happened with the Kitsune clan I living with…"

-FLASHBACK-

_It was a cloudy afternoon, and Kagome had all of the kits out in the meadow that was near the shared den. She was thinking about what she was going to teach the kits today. Good thing she had Shippou with her. Now, he looked about 17 years old and about 6 inches taller than her. She remembered when she could still hold him in her arms like a baby, and when he would curl up with her in her sleeping bag during the times when Naraku still ravaged the land._

_Shippou could see the change in her demeanor and he also felt the way she was absently staring at him. He walked over to her and hugged her close._

_"Haha, I'm still here. I'm still your little boy…just not so tiny anymore." He told her softly._

_"I know, Ship-chan, I know. I just miss it, ya know? I miss being able to hold you. I miss telling you bedtime stories and singing you lullabies when your nightmares resurfaced around that one time of year. But I'm also happy. I'm happy that you're becoming a strong and honorable young man. I know it was hard sometimes…but knowing that I could continue what your biological parents started, well it gives me hope. I know that if I was able to carry on teaching you the correct morals and how to be a man who could take care of his own family someday…then maybe I could take care of any kits that I may have in the future. That is if I ever find someone who could fill this void in my heart…" Her voice had trailed off to a whisper by the time the secret hopes for kits and a mate were mentioned._

_Shippou held his adoptive-mother close as he smelled the tears that were threatening to fall._

_"Haha, I know any man would be lucky to have you. I was lucky enough to have you as my mother, and even though missing my natural Chichi and Haha was inevitable, I also know that they would be proud of you, and thankful for raising me like they would've," he softly whispered in her ear. "I also know that wanting your own kits is natural for any mother. I know that when you do have your own kits, 'cause not having 'em ain't even possible; you're too good a mother for any smart demon not to notice, they will just as lucky as I am." His words caused her heart to clench with a feeling of such immense gratification and love that she couldn't hold back the tears anymore._

_He held her tighter, giving her the support she had come to rely on more than ever…especially since the others didn't know where they were or if similar transformations happened to the young priestess on the night of the new moon like they did to the rest of the group. He just now realized how much the woman he had come to love as a mother relied on him. How much she had sacrificed for him…and he vowed that he would never let her regret it. He would be the best he could be and he would do everything in his power to make her happy and keep her protected, no matter how strong she was in her own right._

_Kagome hugged him tight once more then pulled away and wiped away her tears. Plastering a watery smile upon her face, she replied to his kind words._

_"Thank you, Shippou. You'll never know how much those words mean to me. I can only hope that everything else will fall into place." She looked over at the group of kits that were totally oblivious to the conversation going on in front of them. "But for now, I think that we should start this lesson, before we totally lose the attention of these little ones." Just as she went to tell them to line up she felt the presence of a familiar aura…but what troubled her was the fact that there were four other auras near it, and all of them had such a malevolent feel to them that her clawed fingers started twitching in anticipation._

_She knew that it was time to go. It happened everywhere she went. That's why she became known as the Wandering Maiden. Wandering, because she and Shippou never stayed in one place for longer than a year and Maiden because she was still untouched. She was a true beauty, exotic looks not only from being turned into a temptress of a Kitsune, but also from the enhanced look that the Shikon gave her. She practically glowed with the power and purity of her soul, and it attracted men to her like moths to a flame. It was too bad for them that her heart was already taken, and too bad for her that there was always one man that wouldn't take no for an answer._

_It seemed that it was happening again. It always did. She would find a place that she could be happy. First she would train with them for a bit, so that her skills could be honed in better, then she would help with the kits. The un-mated men would see how well she could take care of the young ones, and try to court her. She would decline, stating that she wasn't ready to settle down. Some would accept her response, but there was always one that just couldn't take no for an answer. That someone always ended up forcing her from the place that had become her temporary home. The one constant in her life was Shippou._

_They would've gone back to the Inu-Tachi, but Kagome wasn't sure what to expect. It had been seven years. They probably had families started and were happy as they were. How was she to know if they would want her to come back? Shippou had tried to convince her that they would always welcome her back, but she wouldn't allow herself to believe it. She didn't have a high self-esteem, due to the way that Inuyasha used to treat her during the two year time-span that had caused so much trouble. She had always been told it was her fault, and that she was always going to be second to Kikyou. Towards the end of that race against time, she began to realize that is was only a physical attraction that she had mistook for love. Now, she felt for him like she did her brother, or a best friend._

_What she didn't know was that Inuyasha felt the same way. He only said the callous words to her because he didn't understand how to handle his emotions. He tried to push her away because he knew he would never be able to love her like he did Kikyou. He didn't understand that he had cut her to the core every time he spoke an insult to her. He didn't know that he might have damaged her to the point where she couldn't understand her true worth. He didn't realize that his words might have been the reason why his best friend and younger sister never returned to them, because his words caused her to believe that she wasn't needed…instead they caused her to believe that she was a hindrance to the group, and once her duty was done, she was gone without a trace._

_But now, as she felt these auras, she knew that this would be the worst case yet. She knew exactly who it was. The headman of the den had a son by name of Daiki. He had been pursuing her for about 6 months and he couldn't seem to take no for an answer…almost like Kouga. But lucky for her Kouga already knew about her, and had finally given up and was now happy with Ayame. Sadly, Daiki wouldn't back down. He constantly showed up when she would walk around the den visiting with other families, and always trying to invite himself to stay for dinner with her and Shippou. Even though she always found a way to excuse herself nicely, six months of an unwanted pursuit was too much for even her to take, especially since she had specifically told him no. That day, she didn't feel fear; no instead she felt a mother's righteous anger. He had threatened to harm her child, and not in the physical sense. He had threatened to kill her in front of him._

_Kagome knew that she had to get the kits back to the den and Shippou back to Kaede's village. She could feel that the men were in the opposite direction of home, and she saw that Shippou could feel them, too. She looked up at him and whispered "Take the kits to the den. Tell the headman that his son is not as great or noble as he was thought to be. Send a few warriors here, and then leave. Go to Inuyasha and the others. I will head towards the West. If the rumors are correct then Sesshoumaru-sama is now getting along better with Inu…" She felt the auras growing closer and closer. "Go. Now! And don't turn back. Get the kits to safety and then go to Inuyasha. Now, run!" She said urgently._

_Shippou gathered up the group of rowdy kits and hurriedly led them back to the den, leaving Kagome alone to fight this new opponent. She stood in the clearing and allowed her aura to appear. The blue and purple-pink colors mixed and mingled together in an amazing display of power. Her rivals were lucky enough to see the show. Daiki had three other youkai with him. Only one other than him was in their humanoid form, and it was the Panther-Youkai. The other two were a snake and a bear._

_After a brief moment of silence, Daiki made his final offer. "Dear Kagome," he said in a seductive voice, "This doesn't have to be the end. You could come with me quietly, and I'd never have to bring your remains to your son. I would hate to have to kill you, but if I can't have you then no one will. So what's your choice, my precious beauty? Live with me, or die today?"_

_"You know, I'm pretty sure that there's another option that you didn't tell me," she responded haughtily, "You and your buddies could just go away and leave me and my son alone, or if you don't like that option, I could just take you out and spare another unfortunate woman the grief of ever having to put up with you."_

_"Now, now, dear, that's just not very nice. Oh well, I gave you your chance. You have decided your fate, so do you have any last words that you'd like for me to tell your son when I give him your bones?"_

_"Hm, nope, seeing as how I'm not the one who's going to die after this fight, but is there a message you'd like for me to send to your father, you know, besides the fact that you're a disgrace to Kitsune everywhere?"_

_"You'll pay for that, bitch!" He snarled, and then the fight ensued._

_He lunged at her, aiming for her throat, but she back flipped and kicked him in the chin. The snake saw an opening and darted forward, wrapping around her leg. It pulled down and knocked her to her back. She struck out with her claws glowing with her reiki, and sliced into the snake's side. As he started to disintegrate, she jumped back up, just in time to meet the claws of the bear-youkai. Its paw connected with her collarbone, and she could feel the claws cutting through the skin and slicing the bone. She quickly used some of her reiki to heal the bone, but left the cut so she could conserve her energy._

_She quickly slashed out with a fox fire attack, and the bear went down in a huge blast of flame, turning even the bones to ashes. It was now time to take care of her two strongest opponents. She briefly wondered what was taking the warriors so long to get here, but decided not to think about it. She had to keep all of her concentration on this battle._

_Daiki had decided to stay on the sidelines, aside from the initial swipe. He now sent the panther after her. He came with a swiftness and agility that most Neko-Youkai have, but he didn't count on the fact that she had been constantly training with various youkai species for the past seven years, and so she knew many of the fighting styles that they used. Panthers were no exception. She watched him carefully, waiting for him to make the first strike. She knew it would come hard and fast, and she wasn't disappointed. He came at her with a hard swipe of his claws, and though she managed to jump back, she got a shallow set of cuts on her arm. She darted in and tried to get a hit at his ribs, but instead she got hit, and she could hear the snap! of the bone. She could feel the bruise on her chest forming, as the blood gathered around the cracked rib._

_"Shit," she snarled, "That hurts, you son of a bitch" She knew she had angered the panther with her words seeing as how the only response she got was a violent hiss and a new set of lacerations due to the flurry of attacks he sent her way. She fought back with equal fervor, and finally managed to sink her claws into his chest, releasing her reiki directly into his heart. She could see him dissolving from the inside out, and it did not bother her in the least. He was allying himself with a man who threatened the emotional security that she had managed to give her son and, like any mother, she would do anything for her child, even if he didn't technically count as a child anymore._

_After the panther had finished dissolving, she turned her glowing amethyst eyes upon Daiki. "It looks like it's your turn now," she said with menace in her voice. She may not have acted like that before she fell into the well, but now she knew that the world was a harsh place, and sometimes you had to kill for survival._

_He said nothing, but rushed at her, his hands glowing with dark blue flame. She sent a flair of her Reiki at him, just enough so that he wouldn't be able to use his fox-fire, and struck at him with her claws ready to shed more blood. He parried, strike for strike, kick for kick, until he hit her arm with such a force that the bone broke, and hung at an awkward angle. She didn't have the time or energy to heal the bone, so it was very lucky for her that the warriors showed up at just that moment. They went straight for Daiki, and tried to restrain him. Unfortunately, he was too fast for them, and lunged straight for Kagome's head._

_She encased the warriors in a protective barrier and just as his claws cut into her cheek, she released a blast of reiki that dissolved him like the other four youkai. She freed the warriors from her barrier and told them to return to the den, and that she would be going elsewhere. The let her go without a fight, because after seeing such a rare display of power, they were wary of what would happen should they anger her._

-FLASHBACK ENDS-

Sesshoumaru stayed silent during the telling of her tale. It answered a few of his questions, but he still wondered why she left the night of Naraku's defeat. However, before he had a chance to pose his question, he felt six auras approaching. All of them were familiar, but one of them he hadn't felt in a while, so he knew that they had found the adolescent Kitsune. They all stopped at the door, and when he looked at Kagome he could tell that she knew who was standing behind the thickly paneled shoji. She had a blank look on her face, but her scent told a different story. Her normally sweet scent was laced with joy, anxiousness, and just a bit of fear. Why she was afraid, he didn't know. Did she think that the Inu-Tachi was going to react negatively? Either way, she didn't have a choice in the matter of seeing them.

The shoji slid open and a man in red with glinting hair that matched his half-brothers slid in, leaving the others outside the room. As he turned around, she saw that he had pointed ears, instead of the soft white puppy-dog ears that he had before, and that the stripes upon his face were not jagged, but instead they were smooth and angled perfectly. As his amber eyes locked with her violet orbs, she could see his widen just a bit.

"Inuyasha," she whispered.

**AN**: Oh my goodness, thanks so much for the reviews! I'd like to give a shout out to my first 5 reviewers:** VixenKitsune147, fox-white-moon, Mercy's Wolf Pack, Sesshomaru2004, **and** loveinthebattlefield.** I really appreciate all the encouragement! I never really know when I will be able to update, but I promise I will do it whenever I can! And yes, yes. I know you're all upset that I left it at a cliffy, but trust me when I say that the story is just now getting good. I probably won't be able to update until the weekend, but if at all possible I will update sooner. I promise. R&R Please!

Glossary:

Youkai- demon

Haha- Mother (Related)

Chichi- Father (Related)

Onna- Woman

Ja Ne,

-Angel


	3. Explanations: Part 2

**Warning:** Coarse language, a small hint at fluff, and a good explanation. Also, Sesshoumaru may seem a bit OOC, but people change over time. And don't worry; we'll see more of the usual sadistic, cold, sexy Inu Lord that we remember from the anime/manga in later chapters.

**AN:** Edited~

**DISCLAIMER:**InuYasha and Co. do not belong to me. They do, however, belong to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi.

Previously:

_The shoji slid open and a man in red with glinting hair that matched his half-brothers slid in, leaving the others outside the room. As he turned around, she saw that he had pointed ears, instead of the soft white puppy-dog ears that he had before, and that the stripes upon his face were not jagged, but instead they were smooth and angled perfectly. As his amber eyes locked with her violet orbs, she could see his widen just a bit._

_"Inuyasha," she whispered._

Chapter 3: Explanations- Part 2

Inuyasha stared at Kagome, and his heart clenched when he heard her whisper his name. He was seeing who he thought of as a younger sister for the first time in seven years, and he was overwhelmed with the emotions. "K-Kagome? Is it really you?" he asked in shocked anxiousness.

"The one and only," she said with a grin that hid her deeper emotions of worry and apprehension. That was all he needed to hear to give him the courage to bound over to her from across the room and enfold her into a huge hug. In his excitement he didn't notice her slight flinch at the sudden movement, but Sesshoumaru did and it bothered him. He had finally given in to his feelings and admitted to himself that he was indeed, in love with her. He planned on courting her and eventually mating her and making her the Lady of the West. He was going to have her, that he was sure. After all, it was destined by the Kami. He knew in his soul that she was his life-mate.

When Kagome felt Inuyasha hug her, she felt some of her worry leave her, but still there was that nagging thought in her mind screaming, 'Don't forget, he thinks you are worthless. You trained long and hard, but all you will be remembered for is how little you did during the hunt for the Shikon.' She almost let the voice win, but she shoved that thought away and locked it into the deeper parts of her mind. Instead of dwelling on the hurtful things she was told, she concentrated on the warm arms around her; the arms of the man she used to think could be her lover, but was now thought of as one would a brother. She hugged him back tightly, trying to hold on to this moment. He pulled her as close as he could but then he moved her to arms-length and stared into her amethyst eyes as her breath hitched momentarily.

"Kagome, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm okay, just a bit sore from the lack of movement…How long was I out, anyways, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Five days, Miko." He said in his cold, deep voice.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Five days? No wonder I'm so sore…I really need to get up and get changed…Uhm, could I maybe bathe before I continue explaining what happened?" she asked with an embarrassed innocence in her voice.

"Hai," he said. "Jaken!" he called out. The next thing they heard was the annoying squawking of the little, green, toad-youkai.

"You called me, Sesshoumaru-sama?" He asked in his high-pitched voice.

"Hai. Take the Miko to the hot-springs near the fuyu no tsuki room. It is to be her room while she stays here. Afterwards she is to be taken to the dining room. No one is to bother her. Is that understood?"

"H-hai, Milord!" he said before walking over to the shoji to wait, but then he turned around and looked at the room. He saw no miko, only a Kitsune demoness. "M-milord, who is the miko that I am to show the way to?" he asked timidly.

"Jaken, I do believe you should remember Kagome." he said, looking over at said woman.

"Er, hi Jaken. Remember me?" she asked with a bit of humor in her voice at the sight Jaken made. The little imp was staring at her in shock.

"Jaken, stop staring and do as I said." Sesshoumaru bit out. He was feeling unusually jealous at having another male stare at Kagome, no matter who it was. He already knew he would try to court the young lady, and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama," said Kagome. "I'll be quick. I promise." She said as she slid off the bed. She almost lost her balance, but Inuyasha held on to her arm until she could stand on her own. "Thanks, Yasha." She said before following the toad-demon out of the room. When she walked out, she saw that the others had already been taken to another part of the castle, probably the dining room.

Following behind Jaken, she saw the inside of the castle that she had only heard of. It was beautiful. The inside of the walls were of glossy dark woods and murals on the ceilings. The castle was a beautiful blend of western style, seen in foreign lands, and the traditional Japanese style. Though the inside paneling of the castle was wood, she knew the outside would be impenetrable stone. After all, he was the Lord of the West. It was only fitting that the Ice Prince should have a castle as unshakeable as he. During her musings she didn't realize that they had come to a stopping point. Only her instincts prevented her from stepping on Jaken.

"Lady Kagome, there has already been a kimono and towels placed in the hot springs for you. The soaps can be found sitting on one of the stones." He then proceeded to give her directions on how to get to the dining room after her bath. Then he left her to do whatever it was that she did.

* * *

><p>Her bath was perfectly blissful, with no interruptions or mishaps. After cleansing her body of the herbs that had covered her wounds, she dunked under the water to wet her hair. As she washed it she thought about how this had all happened. She knew someday she would have to see them all again, and she knew it was hard on Shippou to not see the rest of the family he had made in the Inu-Tachi. She combed her fingers through her hair, making sure to check for any blood or herbs that may still be matted within the thick, long locks of her strangely colored hair.<p>

Once she had finished cleaning herself, she stepped out of the steaming water of the hot spring and dried off with a fluffy, white towel that had been placed near the spring. She then wrapped the towel around her, and proceeded to untangle her long hair with a comb that had been sitting near various light-scented body oils. After she finished combing out her knee-length hair she rubbed a small amount of the sakura scented oil over her body then dressed in the kimono that had been placed on the top shelf near where the comb and oils had rested. There was also another kimono on the shelf beneath it, but she decided to wear the top one.

When she looked at the kimono in full detail, her eyes widened considerably. It was a jet black with a white Inu-youkai howling at a crescent moon on the back. Scarlet and cerulean leaves appeared to be wind-tossed around the white Inu and moon, crossing over to the front of the kimono on both sides, touching down to the bottom of the garment. It was held with a pale yellow obi that showed the phases of the moon while being traced with the same blue leaves as the kimono. However, it wasn't how elegant the kimono looked that surprised her. It was the symbolism behind it.

By choosing to give her a kimono with his house symbol and colors, he was initiating the courting process. If she chose to walk out of the room in the attire then she would be showing that she accepted his gift, and would indeed allow him to court her. She thought about it for a moment, reliving all of the times that she had thought about him courting her, or becoming his life-mate. She became lost in her thoughts, and didn't realize that she had been in the hot spring room for over an hour. Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on the dark wood of the door. She started, and then nervously said, "Come In," not knowing who it was because of the natural perfume of the minerals in the spring-water. The door slowly opened and there stood the object of her desire and the person to whom her thoughts seemed to revolve around.

"Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama! I apologize if I took too long. My thoughts started wandering, I suppose…" said Kagome said, looking down at her hands, which were clasped tightly in front of her. _'What if it was a mistake? What if he didn't mean to leave the kimono here? Or maybe Jaken got confused…it wouldn't be surprising, as many times as she had seen the poor toad get hit in the head…'_ However, before her thoughts could go farther, his voice brought her back to reality.

"Lady Kagome, you need not fret. Your friends became worried when you did not come back as quickly as they thought you would." She looked up in surprise when she heard him call her 'Lady Kagome'.

"Oh, I didn't realize I had taken that long. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It's unbefitting of a lady of your stature."

"Eh?" she stated as she looked at him with confusion.

Had he not been controlling his emotions, he would've rolled his eyes. "Lady Kagome, you are a priestess, and not any priestess, but the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Not only that, but you are also the most powerful miko since Midoriko was alive, and you are now a very powerful youkai and miko combined," he said in a monotone voice. She could almost hear the slight annoyance that could've been in his voice as he stated what should've been obvious.

"Oh. Okay, I guess I understand… it's just something I'm used to. I always had to apologize for things and I guess now it's just a normal reaction..." she trailed off as memories from traveling with the Inu-Tachi came to her.

"Lady Kagome, I wish I could say that I understand, but I had only traveled with your group for a small time when we still had yet to defeat the evil hanyou. As for your past, I hope you will be able to make yourself comfortable here. You shouldn't feel that you need to apologize for everything, when you have done more for us than any other."

She bowed her head at the veiled praise in his words. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I suppose everyone is waiting on us. I guess seven years of searching for answers was long enough, ne?"

"It would appear so. And please, just Sesshoumaru is fine. After all, it seems that you have accepted my proposal. It would only be right to be more familiar," he stated with a slight smirk at her light blush. He couldn't help but think that she looked so beautiful at that moment, dressed in his clan colors and flushed at his words.

"Then you must call me Kagome, Sesshoumaru," she replied with a smile.

"Alright, Kagome. Now let's go meet your friends in the dining hall, shall we?" he asked as he held out his arm to her.

"Hai, let's go," She said as she took his offered arm. They walked down the hallways in a peaceful quiet, neither of them caring to fill the silence. They heard the chattering of the group as they caught up with Shippou once they reached the doors to the dining hall.

"Are you ready, Kagome?" he asked.

"Hai, I am. This explanation is years in coming, and I think it's time they get the answers they have been searching for," she told him before walking into the room and sitting by her now grown-up kit.

"Haha! Thank Kami-sama you're okay! Why didn't you let me stay and help you?" he asked with sorrow and worry in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Musuko, but it was a situation that I had to handle alone," she said as she released a low growl that was barely heard by the demons in the room, and everyone looked at her with sympathy at what had happened to the young woman in front of them. They all knew now how hard her life had been after leaving the Inu-Tachi, seeing as how Sesshoumaru had filled them in on everything that she had told him before they had arrived while she was in the hot spring.

"I know what happened, Sesshoumaru-sama told us… I— I wish you would've let me stay and help you, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt so badly and-" he was abruptly cut off when Kagome lightly cuffed him upside the head.

"Hush now, Musuko. I know you want to help, but like I said, it was my battle to fight. I was not, nor will I ever allow someone to threaten my kit's safety, no matter how big he gets." The last few words were said with a wry grin and she looked at her adolescent adoptive son.

He blushed lightly before hugging her tightly and whispering into her ear, "Thank you for everything. You really are an amazing mom." The rest of the lookers-on watched as the mother-son air hugged, finally content in the knowledge that the other was safe. Finally, Inuyasha cleared his throat and spoke up.

" K'gome, we missed you an' all and we love seeing that you're alright, but could you explain what the hell happened seven years ago?" Miroku looked over at his friend, and smacked him over the head with his staff.

"Don't be rude, Inuyasha. Time has gone by, and I know you would rather not get off on the wrong foot after so long of not seeing our Kagome." He then looked to the Kitsune-Miko who had started staring at an imaginary wrinkle in her kimono that had apparently caught her interest. "Now, what I believe Inuyasha had meant to ask is if you could please explain what happened to make you leave and why we hadn't heard from you in so long." He was going to say more, but decided not to when he saw a blur launch itself at Kagome.

Kagome was startled when she was pulled into a fierce hug from her best friend and soul sister. "Kagome, I missed you so much! You just left, and you never sent word that you were alright! We tried tracking you down, but you got so skilled at covering your tracks that all we had to go off of was rumors of a Kitsune-Miko with oddly colored hair and markings whose travel companion was a young Kitsune male with bright orange hair. We automatically assumed it was you when we heard all of the things that the mysterious woman had done for others. We knew it could be none other than our Kagome and Shippou… but we could never seem to catch up to you." By now, Sango was nearly in tears as she stared at her sister. "Why didn't you stay?" she whispered.

Kagome took a deep breath and looked at the people around her, their expressions ranging from expectant to impassive. "You all deserve an explanation. It all started when Kikyou and I purified Naraku during the final battle…" She trailed off as she remembered what happened.

-FLASHBACK BEGINS-

_It was late afternoon, and Naraku had finally allowed himself to be found; after all he had most of the jewel shards. The only ones he didn't have, Kagome did. Kouga no longer possessed any of them, because Kagome had asked for his a few days prior to the battle. She didn't want him to be targeted because of the shards. That day they all fought hard but it was all thanks to Kagome and her love for her friends that the evil hanyou was destroyed. Sango had fought hard, but after seeing her brother killed in front of her eyes when Naraku pulled the shard that was sustaining him out of his back, she went into shock._

_She had rushed to the fallen boy, and held his lifeless body in her arms as she shook with the force of her sobs. Miroku had done what he could to keep the hoard of lower-level youkai away, but even he was getting tired. It got to the point where all he could do was erect a quick barrier with a few sutras and his staff. He couldn't use his wind-tunnel because of the saimyosho that Naraku had created. He could only sit there and watch over Sango as the others fought their own battles around him._

_Kouga had been fighting Kagura, but it was all a ruse. Kagura and Kanna had already spoken to Kagome, and knew what was going on, at least for the most part. Kagome had planned Naraku's annihilation and no one else knew how it was to happen. Kanna and Kagura were not fighting with their all, because they had already chosen a side, and it wasn't Naraku's…but he didn't have to know that. They kept up appearances until they saw a bright light and heard something miraculous…their heartbeats._

_Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had teamed up to fight Naraku, all at the insistence of Kagome, of course. They kept throwing attacks at him, trying to kill him, or at least wound him. But they didn't do any lasting damage. Not only did Naraku keep feeding off of the Shikon no Tama's aura to regenerate himself after each attack Inuyasha was also weakening for it was the night of the New Moon and that was his night of weakness. But though the attacks were a futile attempt, at least they kept him distracted. When she saw Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru line up for another attack from behind Naraku, she darted up in front of him and launched herself at him._

_"Oh, hello my sweet Kagome. Couldn't resist the temptation of having someone more powerful as a mate?" Naraku asked as he pulled the seemingly weaponless Kagome close to him. All the other voices faded into the background as she prepared to finally end the suffering of the people in Japan. She could no longer hear Inuyasha calling out to her, telling her to get away. She couldn't hear Miroku and Sango as they called out to the woman they called 'sister'. All she could hear was her own heartbeat, and the screams of the demonic presences that were trapped within the Shikon along with Midoriko._

_"No, Naraku. I have no need for a mate, especially not as vile a creature as you. The only thing I'm here for is the Shikon, and to rid the world of an evil that should have never been released upon these people." She reached into the folds of the fighting kimono that Sango had given her for her birthday last year, and pulled out the shards that she possessed before quickly placing a hand on Naraku's chest, right above his heart. He couldn't even react before she summoned the shards with her Reiki and purified him. All the others saw was a huge blast of blue light and a bright streak of that accompanied it from somewhere in the forest. Kagome knew that Kikyou was going to aid her in the process, after all it was the twisted being that split her and Inuyasha apart over fifty years ago._

-END FLASHBACK-

"You all remember that light, right… when Naraku became no more? Well that light was not only me and Kikyou purifying him, but also me making the wish that made you what you all are today. I— I was talking to Midoriko… she was walking me through the process of his purification. It was when he had turned to dust that she had me make the wish. I did what I could to atone for everything that had happen in the past, to fix what happened to everyone. It had to be a selfless wish, something pure… the only thing I could think of was for wrongs to be righted and for Midoriko to finally move on to the peace that she deserved. In return for finally granting her that peace she granted me a wish of my own, one that could be anything I desired. So I wished for the only thing in the world that I wanted at the time, for the happiness of my friends," she looked around at the group gathered around her, hanging off of her every word.

Even Shippou was listening like his life depended on it; he had never heard the story of what happened. He just knew that she wanted to leave and who was he, a young kit, to question the whims of his mother? "Haha, what happened next?" he asked gently. She looked at him for a moment before continuing on with her story.

"For Sango and Miroku, she granted that they could have a better life, a longer life, one in which they could spend forever together. For Sesshoumaru, that Rin be able to be accepted as his daughter by other youkai, without getting criticized or threatened. For Inuyasha, that his blood be stabilized and that he and Kikyou be able to spend forever with each other, like they had always wanted to. And finally, for my kit, I asked that he could have someone to look after him. Someone who could take care of him properly, and that he could look up to and stay with without him being condemned and made fun of because his parent can't take care of him… and then she asked me how I managed to keep on surprising her. She asked me why I never asked for anything for myself, and I told her the truth. That the only thing I really cared about was that my friends have what they want in life. I couldn't care less about myself. She said the wishes would be granted and that night, instead of Inuyasha turning into a human, we'd all become youkai during our sleep. I didn't know how you'd all react to the changes, and I couldn't stay with you after all the trouble I'd caused. I kept Inuyasha from being with Kikyou, I was the reason Kohaku and the rest of the demon-slayers were killed. It was my fault that everything happened, all because I broke the Shikon no Tama, so I left. While everyone was celebrating, I told Shippou that I was leaving, and that he could come with me or stay with you all. It would be either a life of wandering or a life of stability. I told him he should stay with you all, but he wanted to come with me. So that night when you had all fallen asleep, I took him and my things and left. I didn't leave a trace, because I didn't want you to have to bother with my presence as you made your new lives." The last sentence was spoken in a whisper that they could only hear because they were all youkai.

There was silence as the group tried to process her words. Finally, Inuyasha spoke up and, true to form, made things take a turn for the worse.

"Why didn't you come back? You left us without a word…Why? Didn't you care enough to stay? Didn't you miss us, at all?" he asked angrily.

"I didn't come back, because I figured you'd all be better off without me! I left without a word because I knew I wouldn't have been strong enough to say good-bye! And you ask if I care enough to stay? I cared enough to give up on my first love… or what I had once thought was love. I cared enough to make sure your blood was stable and guarantee a second chance to you and Kikyou. I cared enough to make sure you wouldn't be burdened with my lack of skill with a weapon, or as a Miko. All I've been was a liability, and so I cared enough to give everyone a chance at a burden free life. I cared enough to leave behind my family and stay here, to grant you all the deepest wishes of your hearts and all I get in return is questions and accusations." She took a deep breath, and looked him dead in the eye hurt and anger swirling thickly through her sweet scent, before she continued.

"And you actually have the nerve to ask if I missed you all? Would it make you feel better if I told you that after I knew Shippou was asleep, I would go out by myself and cry? That every time I saw a flash of red my hopes would raise so high, thinking that I'd see you, only to be crushed again. I knew deep down that it wasn't you, because why would you come looking for me? I didn't mean anything, except as a shard detector, and once my job was done, I'd be alone. The one constant in my life was my son. And I thank Kami-sama every day that I was able to keep him safe, and that the wishes were granted. You were all happy, and I was there for my son. With that choice I granted everyone else the happiness they deserved. I sacrificed everything for you and yet all you can think about is yourself. I see you haven't really changed as much as I thought you would've." She said as she stood up to leave. "Excuse me, Sesshoumaru, but I think I'd like to visit your gardens, if I may?" she asked him with her tiredness and pain at the words that were said ringing in her voice.

"Hai, Kagome. You may." He replied as he summoned a servant to show her the way. Before she left the room she bowed to him and said "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru," and then she walked out following the servant.

He then turned his glinting golden eyes to Inuyasha. "You have much to atone for, Otouto," he told him and then he left the room to track down his highly upset intended.

-End Chapter 3-

-Youkai = demon

-Hanyou = Half-demon

-Haha = Mother (Related)

-Kami-Sama = God

- fuyu no tsuki = Winter Moon (Lit. Moon belonging to Winter)

-Musuko = Son

-miko = priestess

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.

R&R please!

Ja Ne,

~Angel


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